Top 7 Estate Planning Lawyers in Anchorage, AK (2026)
A living trust keeps your family out of Alaska probate and puts you in control. Alaska is also a premier trust state — its asset-protection trusts and abolished rule against perpetuities allow planning most states cannot. An Anchorage estate planning lawyer builds the trust, will, powers of attorney, and health directive your family will rely on.
Updated June 22, 202512 min readEditorially independent
A living trust keeps your family out of Alaska probate — a court-supervised process that can stretch out for months and cost your estate in attorney and personal-representative fees. An Anchorage estate planning lawyer builds the trust, will, powers of attorney, and health care directive that put you, not a judge, in control of what happens to your home, your money, and your care.
Alaska probate runs under Title 13 of the Alaska Statutes and can be informal or formal depending on the estate. Estates under the small-estate threshold can often pass with a simplified affidavit, but for most Anchorage homeowners a house alone pushes the estate past that line, which is why a revocable living trust is the backbone of most plans. Paired with a pour-over will, a durable power of attorney, and an advance health care directive, it lets your family avoid court, keep your affairs private, and act quickly if you become incapacitated.
Alaska is also one of the most powerful trust jurisdictions in the country. The Alaska Trust Act allows self-settled asset-protection trusts and abolished the rule against perpetuities, so long-term and asset-protection planning that is impossible elsewhere can be done here. The firms below range from solo specialists to long-established Anchorage estate firms; several have decades of Alaska trust and probate experience. Every firm is confirmed through Justia, Super Lawyers, Avvo, or its own verified office and practice record.
How we picked these 7: We cross-referenced peer rankings and directories (Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, Avvo, Martindale-Hubbell, Justia, Expertise.com, FindLaw) and each firm's own published practice pages. Every firm below appeared in at least two independent sources and has a verifiable Anchorage-area estate planning practice. We do not accept payment for placement, and we do not write sponsored reviews. More on our methodology →
1
Foley, Foley & Pearson, P.C.
Anchorage, AK – 4300 B St, Ste 400Founded 1987Estate planning & probate
Practice focus: Living trusts, wills, estate planning, business succession, probate, and trust administration
Founded in 1987 by Richard and Susan Foley, Foley, Foley & Pearson narrowed its practice to estate planning, business law, probate, and trust administration and serves clients across Alaska from its Anchorage office at 4300 B Street. The firm is one of the best-known estate-planning practices in the state.
Why they made the list: A dedicated, decades-old Alaska estate-planning firm — a strong default for a comprehensive trust-based plan.
Practice focus: Living trusts, wills, estate planning, IRA conduit trusts, and probate avoidance
Kenneth Kirk, P.C. serves Anchorage and surrounding areas with a practice focused on estate planning, living trusts, and specialized tools such as IRA conduit trusts, and offers free consultations to potential clients. The firm builds trust-based plans for Alaska families.
Why they made the list: A planning-focused practice comfortable with both standard trusts and retirement-account planning tools.
Anchorage, AKEstate & elder law since 2008Wills, trusts & Medicaid planning
Practice focus: Estate planning, wills, living trusts, powers of attorney, guardianship, and Medicaid income trusts
Constance A. Aschenbrenner has practiced law for more than two decades and has focused on Alaska estate planning and elder law since 2008. Her Anchorage firm handles wills, living trusts, powers of attorney, guardianship, and Medicaid income trusts.
Why they made the list: Strong on the elder-law side — useful when long-term-care and Medicaid planning are part of the picture.
Practice focus: Wills, living trusts, powers of attorney, and estate planning
Blyss Cruz leads Cruz Law, LLC, an Anchorage-based estate-planning firm that prepares wills and trusts for Alaska families. The practice focuses on building plans that fit each client's family and assets.
Why they made the list: A focused Anchorage estate-planning practice for straightforward wills-and-trusts work.
Anchorage, AK30+ years experienceEstate, probate & business
Practice focus: Estate planning, probate and trust administration, elder law, guardianship, and business planning
Wild Woman Law Practice is an Anchorage firm with more than 30 years of experience offering estate planning, probate and trust administration, elder law, guardianship, and business planning. The practice handles both planning and the administration that follows.
Why they made the list: Three decades of experience spanning planning, probate, and elder law under one roof.
Practice focus: Wills, living trusts, advanced estate-planning techniques, and business and succession planning
Durrell Law Group's attorneys offer Alaska families and business owners comprehensive estate planning, including wills and trusts and more sophisticated estate-planning techniques. The Anchorage firm serves clients with both routine and complex planning needs.
Why they made the list: A good fit when business interests or advanced planning techniques are part of your estate.
Anchorage, AKEstate planning & probateWills and trusts
Practice focus: Estate planning, wills, living trusts, trust administration, and probate
Colver Law is an Anchorage estate-planning and probate firm that prepares wills and trusts and assists families with trust administration and probate. The practice serves Alaska clients on both the planning and administration sides.
Why they made the list: A local planning-and-probate option for Anchorage families building or settling an estate.
Tell us about your family and your assets, and we'll connect you with one of these Anchorage estate planning attorneys for a consultation.
How to choose between them in Anchorage
Ask about focus and Alaska experience. You want a firm whose core work is estate planning, trusts, and probate in Alaska — not a general practice that also drafts the occasional will. A focused practice will build a plan that holds up and fits your family and Alaska law.
Prefer flat-fee, defined packages. Most straightforward estate plans are sold as a flat-fee package, so you know the cost before you start. Be cautious with hourly billing for routine planning unless your estate is genuinely complex.
Confirm they handle trust funding. A trust only works if your assets are actually retitled into it. Ask whether the fee includes funding — deeding your home into the trust and updating account beneficiaries — or whether that is left to you.
Ask about Alaska trust tools if relevant. If asset protection or multi-generational planning matters to you, ask whether the firm uses Alaska's domestic asset-protection trusts and its repeal of the rule against perpetuities. Not every estate needs these, but Alaska firms that know them can do planning others cannot.
Plan for updates. Life changes — marriages, births, moves, new property. Ask how the firm handles future amendments and whether it offers a periodic review so your plan does not go stale.
Judge communication and patience. Estate planning involves hard conversations about death, money, and family. Choose an attorney who explains options plainly, answers questions without rushing, and makes sure you understand what you are signing.
What estate planning help typically costs in Anchorage
Estate planning in Anchorage is usually sold at a flat fee, so you can compare apples to apples:
Initial consultation: Often free or a modest flat fee. Many firms use it to map your assets and recommend a package.
Individual living-trust plan: Commonly $1,500 to $3,500 for a trust, pour-over will, powers of attorney, and health care directive.
Couple's plan: Typically $2,500 to $5,000 for a joint or mirror plan covering both spouses.
Complex or asset-protection plans: Estates using Alaska asset-protection trusts, business interests, blended families, or special-needs beneficiaries cost more and may be billed hourly at roughly $300 to $500.
Trust funding: Deeding real property into the trust and updating beneficiaries may be included or billed separately. Confirm this up front — an unfunded trust does not avoid probate.
What you avoid: A proper plan spares your family an Alaska probate that can take many months and consume estate value in attorney and personal-representative fees. The planning fee is small by comparison.
Skipping a plan does not save money — it shifts the cost to your family later, in probate fees, delay, and stress. A flat-fee plan now is almost always the cheaper path.
How long it takes
Putting an estate plan in place is faster than most people expect:
Consultation: One meeting to review your assets, your family, and your goals, and to choose the right package. Often free.
Drafting: The firm prepares your trust, will, and directives, usually within 1 to 2 weeks of the consultation.
Review and signing: You review the drafts, ask questions, and sign with the required witnesses and notary. This second meeting finalizes the documents.
Funding: Your home is deeded into the trust and account beneficiaries are updated. This step is essential and may take a few additional weeks.
Periodic review: Plan to revisit your documents every 3 to 5 years, or after any major life change, to keep them current with your wishes and Alaska law.
Red flags to watch for when hiring a estate planning lawyer in Anchorage
Guaranteed outcomes. No ethical attorney can promise a specific result. If a firm guarantees a win, a number, or a court ruling, walk away.
The disappearing senior partner. You meet a named partner at intake, then never hear from them again while an unsupervised junior runs the file. Ask in writing who handles your matter day to day.
Pressure to sign on the spot. Reputable firms give you the engagement letter in writing and time to read it. High-pressure intake is a volume-mill signal.
No verifiable track record. Look for named results, peer rankings, board certifications, or bar recognition — not "we have helped thousands of clients."
Vague fees. Every legitimate firm will put the fee structure, what is covered, and what triggers extra charges in a written engagement letter.
10 questions to ask in your free consultation
Most of the firms on this list offer a free or low-cost initial call. Use it. Bring a written list and write down the answers, then compare across two or three firms before you sign anything.
Who, specifically, will handle my matter day to day? Get a name and a direct email, not just the firm.
How many matters like mine have you handled in the last three years? You want a number, not a brochure line.
What is your fee, and what does it cover? Get the structure in writing before you sign.
What out-of-pocket costs am I responsible for, and when? Filing fees, records, and experts add up - ask now.
What is the realistic range of outcomes? A good lawyer gives a range; a weak one promises the high end.
How long will this take? An honest estimate, with the assumptions stated.
What is my deadline, and is it at risk? Many estate planning matters carry hard filing deadlines.
How often will I hear from you? Set the communication cadence now.
What can I do to help my own case? The best lawyers will give you homework.
What is the worst-case outcome? A lawyer who refuses to discuss downside risk is selling you something.
What to bring to your Anchorage consultation
You will get more out of the first call if you arrive organized. For most estate planning matters, gather:
A short written timeline. Dates, names, and what happened, in order.
The key documents. Any contracts, letters, agreements, court orders, or filings you have received.
Your correspondence. Relevant emails, texts, or messages - and do not delete anything.
Any deadlines you know about. A court date, a signing deadline, or an agency notice.
Your questions. The 10 above are a good place to start.
If you are not sure whether something is relevant, bring it anyway. It is easier for a lawyer to set aside what does not matter than to chase down what you left at home.
Talk to a vetted Estate Planning attorney in Anchorage
Tell us about your situation. We'll match you with one of these firms or a similar one. Free, confidential, no obligation.
Frequently asked questions about estate planning lawyers in Anchorage
Do I need a living trust or just a will?
In Alaska, a will alone usually sends your estate through probate, while a funded living trust avoids it. If you own a home or have significant assets, a trust generally saves your family time and money. A will still plays a role as a backup.
What happens if I die without a plan?
Alaska's intestacy statutes decide who inherits, and your estate likely goes through probate — a court-supervised process that takes months and costs fees. A plan lets you, not the state, decide who gets what and who is in charge.
What does an estate plan in Anchorage cost?
Most are flat-fee: roughly $1,500 to $3,500 for an individual and $2,500 to $5,000 for a couple, covering a trust, will, powers of attorney, and health care directive. Complex or asset-protection plans cost more.
What makes Alaska special for trusts?
Alaska is a leading trust jurisdiction. The Alaska Trust Act permits self-settled domestic asset-protection trusts and abolished the rule against perpetuities, which allows long-term and asset-protection planning that most states do not. An Alaska estate lawyer can tell you whether these tools fit your situation.
What documents are in a typical plan?
A revocable living trust, a pour-over will, a durable power of attorney for finances, and an advance health care directive. Together they cover both incapacity during life and the transfer of assets at death.
How often should I update my plan?
Review it every 3 to 5 years and after any major change — marriage, divorce, a birth, a death, a move to or from Alaska, or buying or selling property. An outdated plan can be as troublesome as none at all.
Do I have to fund the trust myself?
Your assets must be retitled into the trust for it to work. Some firms include funding (deeding your home, updating beneficiaries) in the fee; others leave it to you. Always confirm, because an unfunded trust does not avoid probate.
What should I bring to a consultation?
A list of your major assets and roughly what they are worth, the names of people you would want as trustees and guardians, and any existing estate documents. That is enough for a lawyer to recommend the right plan.
One last thing. Choosing a lawyer is personal. Read the reviews. Call two or three firms before you sign. Ask each one: How many matters like mine have you handled in the last three years? The answer tells you a lot. — The LawFirmSquare team
LawFirmSquare is a directory. We do not represent clients or refer cases for a fee.
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